Autumn Crittenden, best known for her appearance on MTV’s reality series “16 and Pregnant,” passed away unexpectedly in Henrico County, Virginia, on July 20, 2024, at the age of 27. The former reality star, a mother of three, was found unresponsive in her bedroom by her mother and stepfather, alerted by a concerned family friend.
Henrico County Police reported that emergency services were dispatched following the distress call. Despite immediate CPR efforts by paramedics, Crittenden was declared dead at the scene. Although the cause of death is still under investigation, it was noted that Crittenden was dealing with several health complications, including diabetes, kidney issues, and hypertension.
The news of Crittenden’s death was publicly announced by her sister, Misty, on Facebook, where she expressed profound grief and praised Autumn for her resilience and dedication as a mother. This post was later removed, but not before being captured by Starcasm, a popular entertainment news website.
Crittenden initially came into the spotlight in 2014 during the fifth season of “16 and Pregnant,” where her journey of teen pregnancy and the birth of her first son, Drake, was documented. The show portrayed her struggles with then-boyfriend Dustin Franklin, who was unemployed and habitually used marijuana. This relationship eventually fell apart, leading to a legal battle over child support.
After the tumultuous relationship with Franklin, Crittenden later had two additional children, a daughter named Abigail and a son named Luke. The details of their ages and their father’s identity have not been disclosed.
Following her stint on the reality show, Crittenden kept a low profile. She married Brad Oxley in 2017, but the marriage was short-lived. She was also rumored to have been involved with Millina Kacmar, another “16 and Pregnant” star, but these rumors were never substantiated. In her later years, Crittenden focused on raising her children and maintaining her sobriety.
There were reports that Crittenden had been experiencing heartburn recently and had expressed a wish to see a physician. These health concerns, along with her known conditions like diabetes and kidney issues, may have played a part in her unexpected death.
This incident marks another tragic loss for the “16 and Pregnant” franchise, following the death of Sean Grainger, an alumnus of the show, who died earlier this year in an ATV accident at just 20 years old.
In her emotional tribute, Autumn’s sister, Misty, vowed to uphold her memory and to take care of her children. “We will make sure these kids are alright. Your memory will not diminish over time. It will continue to live on each day,” she wrote.
